To the editor: In 2016, I labored at a polling place in Irvine. I used to be beforehand in favor of the requirement to show citizenship with the intention to vote, however the expertise gave me one other perspective (“Most Californians favor proving citizenship to vote, poll finds,” Might 9).
In some circumstances, after we tried to confirm an individual’s voting standing on the registration desk, there was a delay. Some folks within the voting line would begin to make feedback designed to impress a response, corresponding to “you higher examine his eligibility” and “does she have the ‘proper’ ID?” It was uncomfortable, considerably menacing and, from what I noticed, disturbed the general appreciation the general public had for the voting course of.
If we couldn’t affirm the individual’s voting eligibility primarily based on residency, citizenship or different components, then we supplied them with provisional ballots that had been put right into a separate poll field. At 10 p.m., these had been transported to the Registrar of Voters for affirmation. The method was easy and respectful, and saved folks in line from making an attempt to find out if the individual was eligible to vote.
Laura Curran, Newport Seaside
